GPO Moves Printing Procurement Department under Customer Services
– Bradley Continues as Manager

For some time, a number of GPO’s agency customers have questioned why printing procurement is handled by one division, while there is a separate customer service division to interface with agency print customers.  Apparently, the new Public Printer, Bruce James, had the same question.  In the private sector printing industry, where James gained his vast printing experience over several decades, print buyers are used to dealing with customer service representatives that handle their account.  The customer service representative maintains direct contact with all production operations in the plant, making sure the job goes smoothly, is done correctly, and meets the customer’s expectations. 

For GPO, James has adopted a customer-responsive private sector model, under which GPO’s Customer Services Department will now also be in charge of GPO’s printing procurement.  As part of the structural reorganization in process under James, the entire printing procurement department has been incorporated into GPO’s new “Customer Services” organization. 

Jim Bradley has been serving as GPO’s Customer Service Manager since 1977.  He will continue on in that role, and now, as a result of the incorporation of printing procurement under Customer Services, also manage the Printing Procurement Department. 

This is an excellent change which will undoubtedly cut out one layer of insulation between GPO’s agency customers and the GPO staff that is handling their work. 

Public Printer James has also chosen the right manager for the new consolidated department.  Bradley began his career in the industry with a B.A. in printing management and a minor in business administration from Sam Houston State University, Texas.  In addition to having served as the manager of GPO’s former Customer Services Department for the past 6 years, Bradley also has 13 years of experience as an agency printing officer and print procurement customer at both the Department of Energy and the Internal Revenue Service.  Bradley also spent 14 years as a professional staff member for the Joint Committee on Printing, where he regularly interfaced with GPO’s agency customers. 

During his tenure at both the Joint Committee on Printing and the GPO, Bradley has worked closely with not only agency customers, but also printing industry groups, including Printing Industries of America (PIA) to address concerns of the print vendor community.  In working with the private sector, Bradley has gained a reputation as an open-minded, creative problem solver. 

The consolidation and streamlining of customer service and procurement should improve communications between the printer, the agency end user and GPO, and make resolving both day-to-day and complex problems faster and more efficient.

Fred Antoun   April 21, 2003